Worth County FFA competed in judging contests at the Northwest District Career Development Events on Tuesday, March 29th and Wednesday, March 30th. The Horse Evaluation team, consisting of Austin Thummel, Kacey Smyser, Victoria Rush, and Whitney Harker was the 2nd place team at the Horse event. Austin Thummel was the 2nd High Individual of the Horse contest and Kacey Smyser was the 10th High Individual. This placing qualified the Horse team for state competition. The Livestock Evaluation team, consisting of Chase Thummel, Wyatt Rush, and Brandon Allee, was the 2nd place team in the Livestock event. Chase Thummel was the High Individual of the Livestock contest and Wyatt Rush was the 6th High Individual. This placing qualified the Livestock team for state competition. The Meats Evaluation team, consisting of Grant Parman, Shannon White, and Ryan Smith, was the 8th place team in the Meats event. Grant Parman was the 9th High Individual of the Meats contest. This placing qualified the Meats team for state competition. The Dairy Cattle Evaluation team, consisting of Aaron Green, Logan Ridge, Travis Troutwine, and Kristen Chitty, was the 10th place team in the Dairy Cattle event. This team placed as the alternate to the state competition. The Poultry team, consisting of Caleb Mace, Jennifer Runde, Dalton Miller, and Jacob Caddenhead, was the 11th place team in the Poultry contest. The Soils team, consisting of Patty Evans, Maggie Ueligger, and Molly Ueligger, was the 17th place team in the Soils contest. The Agronomy team, consisting of Clayton Troutwine, Dallas Greenland, Lane Craven, and Kayleigh Fish, was the 17th place team in the Agronomy contest. The Livestock, Horses, and Meats teams will be competing at the State FFA Career Development Events in Columbia on April 14-15.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Worth County FFA Competes in Judging Contests
Sarah Steelman Missouri Records-Gate, Day 2
Sarah Steelman, the top recruit from D.C. Republicans, is refusing to respond to reports that “most of the key documents” from Steelman’s tenure as Missouri state treasurer are missing from state archives. Now,new evidence has emerged that Steelman actually sought to increase penalties for public officials who “purposefully” destroy records protected under Missouri’s Sunshine Law. If Steelman “purposefully” destroyed these records, she could face $5,000 in fines.
“Sarah, humor us. If there is a simple explanation for what has happened to these records, then we are all ears. But the public deserves an explanation. Time and time again, you have hailed yourself as a champion of sunlight and bragged to the press about the procedures in your office that were supposed to protect these public records,” said Matt Canter, spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. “Either explain what has happened to the documents or pay the penalty that you yourself proposed.”
In the Missouri State Senate, Steelman sponsored measures aimed to increase penalties for public officials who fail to retain public records. She sponsored the bill that sought to increase the penalty for closing these records from $500 to $5,000. When Steelman ran for state treasurer in 2004, she touted her work to punish those who violated the Sunshine Law and even bloviated about why it was important for the State treasurer to be more transparent:
The Missouri State Treasurer is entrusted with a substantial sum of money. This money, of course, belongs to the taxpayers who, in turn, have a right to know how, when, with whom and why and where this money is being invested. In my time in the Missouri Senate, I have worked for greater governmental accountability and increased penalties to those who violate the sunshine law. I will carry this fight to the Treasurer's Office [Kansas City Star, 7/10/04]
Yesterday, new evidence emerged that “most of the key documents” from Sarah Steelman’s tenure as state treasurer are missing, even though they are considered public record and are legally protected from destruction under Missouri state law.
Steelman: “I Have Worked For . . . Increased Penalties To Those Who Violate The Sunshine Law. I Will Carry This Fight To The Treasurer's Office.” In a 2004 candidate questionnaire for the Kansas City Star, Steelman said, “Make the Missouri State Treasurer Accountable to Missourians- The Missouri State Treasurer is entrusted with a substantial sum of money. This money, of course, belongs to the taxpayers who, in turn, have a right to know how, when, with whom and why and where this money is being invested. In my time in the Missouri Senate, I have worked for greater governmental accountability and increased penalties to those who violate the sunshine law. I will carry this fight to the Treasurer's Office.” [Kansas City Star, 7/10/04]
Steelman Sponsored Revised Sunshine Law After Working On Updates For Five Years – Updated Law Increased Fines From $500 To $5,000. Reported the Associated Press, “The bill's Senate sponsor, Republican Sarah Steelman, of Rolla, said she has been working on revising the Sunshine Law for five years and believes the new version's compromises are useful. "It is the bedrock of democracy to make sure that we have an informed public, and to do that, you have to be able to access your government," Steelman said. . . . The old law allowed a judge to impose a fine of up to $500 for a ‘purposeful’ violation. The new law boosts the possible fine to $5,000. It also creates the category of ‘knowing’ violation, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000.” [Associated Press, 6/8/04]
Steelman, McCaskill Supported Increased Fines For Open Records Violations – Steelman: Higher Fine Necessary To Ensure Compliance. Reported the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “The bills would increase the level of fine that could be imposed to $2,500 from $500. Proponents, including Auditor Claire McCaskill and the sponsor of one of the bills, Sen. Sarah Steelman, R-Rolla, said the greater fine was necessary to ensure compliance. Steelman's bill would also make any illegal closing of a record or meeting a violation. Currently a higher standard must be proven -- that an agency purposely violated the law. The measure would also extend the law to the Board of Curators of the University of Missouri and the commissioners of the Bi-State Development Agency.” [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 2/17/02]
April Is Stress Awareness Month
For the 19th consecutive year, April 2011 has been designated Stress Awareness Month. During this thirty day period, health care professionals and health promotion experts across the country will join forces to increase public awareness about both the causes and cures for our modern stress epidemic.
Sponsored by The Health Resource Network (HRN), a non-profit health education organization, Stress Awareness Month is a national, cooperative effort to inform people about the dangers of stress, successful coping strategies, and harmful misconceptions about stress that are prevalent in our society.
"Even though we've learned a lot about stress in the past twenty years," says Dr. Morton C. Orman, M.D., Founder and Director of HRN, "we've got a long way to go. New information is now available that could help millions of Americans eliminate their suffering."
The Health Resource Network is a non-profit health education organization established in 1982. It consists of health professionals, health promotion experts, and educators committed to developing more effective programs for improving health and preventing disease. In addition to sponsoring Stress Awareness Month, the organization also sponsors National Stress Awareness Day, held every April 16--or the day after income taxes are due!
General Health encourages you to speak with your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns about your stress. The Clinic welcomes most major insurances along with Medicare and Medicaid. Payments by cash, credit cards, and debit cards are accepted. The clinic is located at the junction of highways 148 and JJ in Hopkins, Missouri. The clinic will be open Saturday, April 9 and Saturday, April 30.
Source: http://www.stresscure.com/hrn/april.html
Department of Natural Resources to Hold Public Hearing on State Weatherization Plan in Jefferson City on April 12
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will hold a public hearing on the statewide Low-Income Weatherization Program annual application for the U.S. Department of Energy’s regular funding.
The department will hold the public hearing from 1 to 1:30 p.m., or until all comments are noted for public record, on Tuesday, April 12 at the Lewis and Clark State Office Building, 1101 Riverside Drive, Jefferson City.
The program funds are provided by the U.S. Department of Energy and are administered by the department’s Division of Energy. Since the weatherization program began in 1978, funds have helped to weatherize more than 160,000 Missouri homes. The program supports energy-efficient housing, long-term reduction in utility bills and the comfort and safety of those served. The elderly, people with disabilities and families with children are program priorities.
The Low-Income Weatherization Program annual application is available for review online at dnr.mo.gov/energy/weatherization/wx.htm. Please address written comments on the plan to Marcy Oerly, Department of Natural Resources, Division of Energy, P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176. Written comments must be postmarked no later than April 12, 2011.
Oral and written comments may be presented at the public hearings. After the hearings, the department will finalize the annual application and submit it to the U.S. Department of Energy.
People requiring special services or accommodations to attend the meetings can make arrangements by calling the department’s Division of Energy at
800-361-4827 or 573-751-6630. Hearing impaired individuals may contact the department through Relay Missouri at 800-735-2955.